Missouri senator shows displeasure with Governor's "handcuffs" on special session
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Missouri senator shows displeasure with Governor's "handcuffs" on special session

Date: September 6, 2011
By: Alex Goldman
State Capitol Bureau

JEFFERSON CITY - After almost four hours of debate during a special session Tuesday in the Senate, Senator Jason Crowell was still animate about his disgust with Gov. Jay Nixon's special session call.

Crowell says he is concerned this session will not cover all of the bases needed to create a better Missouri. He says he feels "handcuffed" by the governor and that it would be in the best interest of the Senate to completely halt this special session.

"It's un-democratic to be here in this special session.  It's an abortion to be here under these specific, tightened, noose-like parameters that only the governor wants," Crowell said.

Crowell also called for an increase in job creation in Missouri without dealing with Chinese businesses.  He offered up the idea that Missouri should always be at competition with the other 49 states, but when it comes to competition with other countries, we cannot afford to let America come out on the wrong end.

Senate President Pro-Tem Rob Mayer appeared to have gotten under the skin of Crowell during a heated exchange.  Crowell and Mayer proceeded to engage in one of the biggest arguments seen in the Senate in years.

Crowell erupted at Mayer saying that this special session is "insane." He then cursed at a stunned Mayer, displaying his frustration with the President Pro-Tem's comments. 

"You know what senator, it's a heck of a lot easier to stop a freight train before it starts moving, without any conductor on the tracks, than after it hits 75 miles per hour and is rolling on a ghost mission.  So I'm trying to just get ahead of this freight train and shut her down," Crowell said.

 Gov. Nixon called for the special session to discuss tax credit reform and begin work toward creating an international trade hub at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

The Senate will continue to meet throughout the rest of this week.